Sailing with aches n pains, what helps you?

[Cherise]

WOW!!!!!! I haven't been on CF for a while. What was I thinking?!?!?!
Thank you all so very much! It's wonderful when the sailing community is truly as helpful and open-armed online as it is person. Much gratitude! I have a lot to read here. So much great advice, thank you! More later......

[Cherise]

Hey All,

Thanks again for your posts. I really, really appreciate it! So much great advice to jot down and look into that I know can help. No doubt it will help some others that struggle too. So thanks for sharing!

Yes, supplements are key, as is diet. Everyone is different and finding what works for your body is so important. I know sometimes cruising, either because you are underway without fresh produce or in a location where you cannot provision your regular go-to items can make supplements that much more important.

Massage, stretching, pain meds and low-impact cardio are certainly what help most. I long for warm waters to swim in/play water sports in, as that is the best exercise, for sure, for my issues. I have a really supportive partner, he doles out massages all the time and is quick to take over domestic duties when I am not up to it.

Yes, a catamaran is high on the list, so is the lottery! Ha!
I'd be having to go with an older, small cat, but I know it may be the answer.
I'm on the hunt for a cruising ground that would offer a lot of inexpensive alternative/holistic medicine in the area. Guatemala is high on that list, but to my knowledge the Rio Dulce, where it seems all the cruisers go to, is far from the regions that have regular available practitioners (primarily west coast/central G.). I'm also not sure I can get over the big scary bugs and critters. You can't have it all though, right? A lot of cruisers and alt medicine people I talk to suggest SE Asia, I just don't see my health enabling a puddle jump though, and having a pet sounds like that is a big drawback as well.

If anyone has any particular areas that they suggest in North and Central America I would love to hear about them.

Thanks again CF friends.
Happy sailing and travels,
Cherise

[tinkrman69]

Hi Cherise and other cruisers.

There are holistic herbs and medicines on every continent. In the rising awareness of alternative medicine, most only hear of the antciant Chinese or Ayurvedic ( east Indian) Medicines. Without Native american medicines the round eyed European would not have settled the north american continent so quickly. Go online and research those medicines. Learn their names in the local languages of the areas you intend to go. Most of the "supplements" you seek for your ache's and pains and other health concerns are in the spice rack. A simple book to get, that will help you in your search and lead you in the right direction is " Earl Mendell's Herb Bible." It's an old publication, but is a great starting tool for those just starting to learn the holistic way of life. Remember, if you only look to take care of the body, you are only doing a third of the work. Whole health is of the Body, Mind and Spirit. Keep an open and active mind and you'll find the solutions for the Body and Spirit.

Peace Luv & Happiness

[MarkJ]

I don't have chronic pain at all... V lucky... But do have a trick for muscular pain from too many tacks etc, or 'shoppers feet' etc. its a magnesium suppliment with glutamine (not gluten!), carnitine and a few other bs bits to fill the ingredient list. It tastes like dog crap. It works. When I have muscle pain I have a spoonful and a few hours after gagging the pain is gone.

Other thing is diet. Mine is a whole food Low Carb diet with carbs less that 20 granms per day and HIGH animal fat about 65%. Look up LCHF in Google. I consume no sugar, fructose, fruit, grains, processed food, or starch what so ever. Except beer, and I only drink beer made with sugar not HFCS. (Beer ingredients are not labeled in the USA!!)

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by georgetheleo

Hello from George! Im 77 and just completeing a 1 year reno of my Brewer12.8CC sloop. Fortunatly I have electric sheet winches. As far as Yoga goes I started doing intense Bikram in 1999 while living aboard my Garden35 in San Diego--I kept at it and got so in shape I took up Mountain Climbing...... 7 Years ago while doing yoga I developed pain in both shoulders . It is still there and aggravated easily--it has never been successfully diagnosed (and I have been everywhere)-- I suspect I injured myself doing intense yoga.As for what do I do for my pain?Well almost all drugs have side effects (groggy) but since I have a good liver Prednisone heals my inflammation usually and Ibuprofen helps with the small stuff.

Please, please do not take steroids long term unless you have no choice. The effects on the body are devastating.
And Mark, I had to laugh at your post- you don't touch sugar, yet you drink beer? With ethanol being one of the most rapidly metabolized (into sugar) carbohydrate know to man?
Now I am all with you on decreasing inflammation and upping the protein and complex carbs,
but beer?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Now I am all with you on decreasing inflammation and upping the protein and complex carbs,
but beer?

I have no 'complex carbs'.

With beer i am enjoying my life.